The Original KFC

I guess you think the Colonel invented Kentucky Fried Chicken. Well, guess again. Kentucky Fried Chicken was actually invented by Joe Smiley of West Virginia and sold at his Lexington, Kentucky drive in during the 50’s. I know. I just blew your mind.

Okay, now lets sort all this stuff out. KFC as we know it with it’s 11 herbs and spices was indeed invented by the good Colonel. However, marketing genius that he was, he knew when he went to mass market his now famous chicken he needed a name. That’s where Joe comes in. The Colonel thought Joe’s "Kentucky Fried Chicken" name was perfect. The two men struck a deal (Rumoured to be $30K) and the name “Kentucky Fried Chicken” was sold. And as the iconic Paul Harvey would say, “Now you know the rest of the story.”

“Good food at a good price” was Joe Smiley’s motto. Having moved from West Virginia to Lexington he saw an opportunity. His vision was for a drive in on a dirt road outside town. He made that dream a reality on November 11, 1951. Joe sold only fresh made food from fresh ingredients and now 60 + years later, that tradition continues. The Parkette has become part of the civic fabric.
The now iconic sign shown above was installed in 1957 and is as much a symbol (#10) of Lexington as is a horse farm.

Sadly, Joe closed the Parkette in 2003. A group of local investors bought it and tired to keep it afloat. They failed, it closed. In 2009 Jeff and Randy Kaplan bought it, dusted off the cobwebs and reopened it. The brothers were immediately snowed under with business. It was too much. They closed for the winter, regrouped, renovated and otherwise retooled. They reopened in the spring of 2010 returning The Parkette to the “Good ol’ days.”

It was later in 2010 that Guy Fieri and his Triple D gang showed up for a visit and put The Parkette on the national map. It’s of course where I first learned of it. They say you can always tell when they’ve re run the episode by the upswing in business.

It’s always great when you’re really looking forward to eating somewhere and it still exceeds expectations. So let’s have a look at this culinary time capsule.

Where best to start but with the chicken. Very nicely breaded although not overly herbaceous it’s possibly the best of the non 11 H&S types I’ve had. The breading had good flavour and the chicken was tasty, tender and juicy. All in all, fantastic. You can get sawmill gravy with it but honestly, I really don’t think it needed it. That said, the gravy was awesome. I thought Mrs. Sippi was gonna get a “To go” cup of it with a straw for the car ride. It was that good.
The accompanying slaw was nice. Nothing special just straight forward slaw. Nothing wrong with that. I also love the crinkle cut fries. The ridges helped hang on to that gravy.

As I perused the menu I heard a gasp from the other side of the table. Seconds later I saw why. Gizzards. Mrs. Sippi loves her some gizzards. These babies come with a nice crisp breading and have a very pronounced chicken taste. My whole problem with gizzards is texture. It’s much like eating cartilage. These particular examples, while still “Cartilagy” were certainly more tender. Think al dente. They were fabulous dipped in the chicken gravy.

There were so many good things on the menu I didn’t know where to start and where to stop. One thing I couldn’t over look though was the Chili Dog. Using Vienna Beef weiners, steamed on a steamed bun. This incarnation has it loaded up with mustard, onions, chili and cheese. It was a work of art. No one thing dominated yet it didn’t all turn into one big flavour. You bit in and you though, onion, no, chili. Oh, nice dog, oh and cheesy. What I’m trying to say is, all the components complemented each other and tended to take turns tickling your palate.

As I’ve pointed out before, back in the day, these types of places had a burger that included all or most of the following components. Two all beef patties, special (or house, or secret, etc) sauce, cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions and a sesame seed bun. I’m sure you’re more than familiar with the formula. Anyway, for Joe, life in coal mining West Virginia was mostly poor. With that in mind, he named his sandwich, the Poor Boy.
Very reminiscent of a Big Mac (obviously) but just better. One word of warning though, a pretty hefty slice of onion garnishes it. I love onion but found the whole disc too much. I pulled it apart, leaving a few rings and it worked much better. I thought the whole piece was a little too dominant.

There you have it folks. Call it a slice of Americana, a trip back in time or just plain great food. Whatever it is, you should check this place out. Well worth the 10 or so minutes off I – 75.

You can find The Parkette Drive In at 1230 E. New Circle Rd. Lexington, Ky.

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You can also find them on the web, facebook and Twitter.



Well that’s all for now folks, see ya next time in the food court.

Davwud

Scenic Drive

It may seem like it’s in the middle of nowhere but the little town of Wilmore, Kentucky is perfectly situated as a jumping off point for a drive through some of the prettiest country you’ll find.
Positioned about a half hour south west of Lexington it is surrounded on the west and north by horse racing and bourbon country. Large scale and craft distilleries offer tours and samples. The horse farms are nothing to sneeze at either. Millions of equine dollars are poured into the region. To the south is the Kentucky River with it’s steep palisades and thick forest. The meandering roads through here make for a drive so hair raising you’re hard pressed to catch up with the speed limit. There’s also some beautiful views of the historic High Bridge. Added to the list of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks (#123) in 1985. Originally designed by John Roebling of the Brooklyn Bridge fame, it’s been reworked a few times over the years. It was the highest railroad bridge in the world when it opened and is still the highest over a navigable waterway in North America.
While in Wilmore a stay at the beautifully restored Potters Inn provides quaint comfort. This Victorian era farm house was saved from the wrecking ball and relocated to its current spot in 2005. Of course, you’ll need to eat and your best bet is at Tastebuds. The soda fountain come lunch counter in Sim’s Drugs on East Main Street.

Wilmore’s E. Main Street has be honoured in the National Regerster of Historic Places. The Sim’s Store dates back over 100 years as do many of the store fronts on E. Main.

Inside, the store still operates as a pharmacy to serve the community. The lunch counter takes up perhaps a third of the store if you include the few booths. There’s some leftover products from the apothecary on display and some of the old soda fountain items still decorate the place. They really don’t have a kitchen. There’s a counter with sinks, food prep stations and a small storage area with a residential fridge. I would love to tell you that they painstakingly craft their sauces, doughs and, what the heck, make their own mozzarella but sadly, they don’t. As much as they’d like to, they just don’t have the space. Heck, they don’t even have an oven. Other than the table top pizza oven that is. That’s not to say that they just run down to the local Quick-E-Mart and grab whatever’s on sale though. They try to source out the best tasting pre made food items and local ingredients which makes them Kentucky Proud. So no, this is not Pilsbury pizza dough with Ragu sauce and other cheap ingredients. What they do make, rest assured, they make very well. Things like chicken salad, pesto, pies, and pimento cheese are all scratch made.
The staff were very friendly and of course, we talked food as much as anything.

The house specialty is pizza and that’s where we started.
 I ordered a fairly standard pie. Pepperoni, bacon and mushroom. It’s a thin crust pizza and too many toppings can really screw up the balance. So keeping it pretty simple was the way to go. There was a nice crunch to the dough with a pretty mild taste. The sauce, while out of a jar was pretty tasty. The toppings worked really well. All in all, a really good pizza.

Their most popular pizza is the Spinach. I watched as piles of spinach and fresh chopped mushrooms were placed atop pesto and feta cheese. I wondered where all the water that’ll leach out would go but figured they knew what they were doing. It was just as cripsy as the other pie. I wasn’t sure how much I’d like it but it was fantastic. All the ingredients played nicely together and the bacon on top gave it a bit of crunch and and that great, salty, bacon-y goodness.

We, of course, couldn’t resist a pimento cheese sandwich. This was easily the best specimen I’ve had. I say that only because it’s very close the recipe we’ve been playing around with at home. Ours has a bit more of a cayenne hit but it had the same creaminess and pimento pepper flavour on which we’ve been zeroing in.

After complementing them about the pimento cheese I was offered a sample of their chicken salad. It was terrific. Finely chopped chicken mixed with mayo, green onion, garlic powder and, in a nice twist, red grapes. They give it a bit of a unique taste. They also have toasted almond slivers in there as well. Something I add to mine at home. Very nice.

Mrs. Sippi’s chocolate, caramel shake was excellent. I opted for a chocolate, peanut butter malted, shown here on the left. Again excellent. They’re made with real milk and Blue Bell ice cream and are blended in an old fashioned shake blender.









So there you have it. Some really terrific food served up from a small lunch counter in the middle of nowhere.

You can find Tastebuds inside Sim’s Drug Store at 319 East Main St, Wilmore, Ky.

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You can also find on the web and facebook.


Well that’s all for now, see ya next time in the Food Court. 
Davwud

10–4 Good Buddy

Say one thing about Southerners. They’re nothing if not colourful. Never mind all the “Redneck” humour and interesting engineering feats for which they’re famous. And as we all know, even the the most fiendish of insults can be hurled without fear of reprisal with the simple preface “Bless their heart…..” They also have their own signature expressions. Bathed in meanness they’ve long endured. “Beat them like a red headed step child” for one. “So good it’ll make you wanna slap your momma” for another.
Just off I-65 in Munfordville, Kentucky Big Bubba Buck’s Belly Bustin’ BBQ Bliss has adopted the “Slap your momma” saying. Offering up food worthy of the maternal clubbing adage. Road weary travellers and locals have been enjoying Bubba’s porky goodness and fried catfish for almost 10 years now. The audience Buck’s is really tapping into though is the trucker. Their expansive parking lot out back offers up plenty of room for the big rigs and their location a half mile off the interstate makes for a quick stop. Daily specials are broadcast every half hour over a CB and orders are frequently radioed in for pick up. To keep the wheels turning as they say. Heck, all they need is a pick up window and a driver would never have to leave the cab.
Bubba’s is really not much more than a shack on the side of the road. From the outside it looks like little more than shed with a handful of smokers and various and sundry items littering the grounds.
On the inside it’s as basic and “Divey” as it can be. Simple paneled walls, rudimentary chairs and tables with plastic table clothes. In other words, scary to one. Oozing cred to another. Yep, other than the lack of smoked pig amoma (the smoker is outside so the smell of greens hung in the air) this place is a true BBQ joint.
Now keep in mind that Kentucky, just like every other state has health inspectors and they do pay visits to Buck’s. Rest assured, it’s clean. That said, Mrs. Sippi and I have debated the notion that, bless its heart it’s the dumpiest restaurant we’ve been in. It may be, it may not. One thing there was no debate over. The food was top notch. There was plenty of it too. So let’s have a look.
Mrs. Sippi’s catfish was excellent. Buttery and juicy with a nice flour and cornmeal breading. I didn’t even bother trying the tartar sauce.
The fried corn on the cob was, well, interesting. While I always maintain that taste trumps all I’m gonna make an exception here. The taste was indeed good but the texture ruined it for me. Mrs. Sippi agreed. The kernels were mushy on the inside with gummy skins that got caught in your teeth. Give me a nice steamed or roasted ear any time. Where the golden nuggets burst when you sink your teeth into them.
The pinto beans were good. Nothing special. Simply seasoned and cooked. I’ve had better, I’ve had worse.

My combo plate ranged from really good to excellent. Really good was the pulled pork. I didn’t like that they sauced it but it wasn’t overpowered so not a strike against. It had a really nice smoky taste that I really enjoyed. It was very finely shredded which is not my preference but I’m fine with it.
The ribs were great. They’re baby backs which is a half a strike against since I much prefer side ribs for BBQ. They had a great smoke flavour and little seasoning. They actually put them on the smoke naked. Their philosophy on this is a rub inhibits smoke flavour. One very important thing about ribs. They should NOT fall off the bone but yield when pulled gently. Leaving a clean rib. The meat should have some chew to it. Not be a spongy mess. On this, they nailed it.
The smoked pork loin was amazing. Tender, succulent, smoky and porky. A clear winner on my plate.
The mac and cheese wasn’t overly cheesy but still quite serviceable.
The greens were as good as I’d hoped. Less pork taste than I’d have expected but seemed to be super charged with “Greens” flavour. Of course when balanced with pepper sauce, that much better.
The deserts were unimaginably good. I love banana pudding. Quite frankly and not disrespectfully, it’s not hard to make a good one. It was almost as good as my home made much as I expected.
What really got me though was the apple, black berry cobbler. A great combination of flavour with a smack of cinnamon that was right in my wheelhouse. I love a good cinnamon kick and find that most places downplay its use. An absolute home run here in my books.
So don’t let the ruddy appearance dissuade you. This place serves good food that has the CB radio waves humming.

You can find Big Bubba Buck’s at 1802 Main St, Munfordville, Ky.

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You can also find them on the web.



Well that’s all from off the beaten path in Kentucky. Y’all come back now ya hear.
 

Davwud

The Finest Dive in America

So says the welcome banner on Rick’s White Light Diner in Kentucky’s capitol city, Frankfort. Quite honestly Rick could probably greet internet visitors with “Come for the food, stay for the lecture.” Yep, owner/chef Rick Paul knows a thing or two about just about anything you can imagine. And he’s not afraid to tell you about it either.
Rick, a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America has owned the White Light Diner off and on for years. He’s left for other ventures but has always returned. A little older, a little wiser and a little grayer in the beard. When not manning the kitchen or harassing employees, Rick can often be found perched on the back counter with his feet up on the front counter. Espousing his thoughts on life, politics, other restaurants, the weather and, well, you get the idea. He’s attracted a lot of attention from local media outlet and even CNN but what put the diner on my “To do” list was a visit from Triple D gang.
The tiny space perched on the side of a steep hill is the oldest restaurant in the state. Dating well back into the 19th century. The porcelain tiled two story building was once part of the “White Light System” which near as I can tell was a local hamburger chain. Much along the lines of White Castle.
8 stools line the counter and 3 four seat tables round out the dining room. The walls are covered in souvenirs, stickers, slogans and a whole host of other memorabilia. The perilous walk down the stairs to the restroom in the basement would make a mountain goat sweat. Flat out, this place oozes character.

Enough about the place, how was the food you wonder. First off, let me tell you that Rick uses local meats, dairy and anything else he can get his hands on making him Kentucky Proud.
We opted for the daily special, Jambalaya with a side of Mac and Bleu Cheese. As well,  the Triple D Sample Platter featuring Crawfish Pie, Fried Oysters, BBQ Pork, French Bread and side of Fried Green Tomatoes.

I’d have passed off the Jambalaya except that it tasted pretty good. The presentation was rather odd in that it was an unattractive amalgam of rice, sautéed veggies, chicken and sausage. It’s then topped with a Creole sauce. It was a strange way of doing things based on my knowledge of the dish. Again, it was good but odd.
The side of Mac and Bleu Cheese was an interesting and quite good retelling of the old diner standard. Good job here.
One thing not mentioned on the menu that showed up on the Sampler Platter was the “Salad.” A small wedge of lettuce with some salad dressing. It was pretty tasty. The oysters were good but ultimately relatively “Dime a dozen” deep fried oysters. Nothing wrong with them but not outstanding. The BBQ had an interesting flavour (all spice??) and was good but again, nothing mind blowing. The Crawfish Pie was excellent IMHO. Crawfish etouffe baked into a pie shell. Delicious. Rick’s home made French bread was very good too.
The side of Fried Green Tomatoes were much like the oysters. Good but not special.
A little sign behind the counter advertised Deep Fried Oreo’s. Okay, I’ll bite. I mean, how could I not. Anyway, 3 chocolate Oreo’s battered with pancake batter and deep fried. Very good.
The Bourbon Pecan Pie was fantastic. A pecan pie laced with some of Kentucky’s finest.
If there wasn’t enough booze in the pie for ya, an atomizer of bourbon is at your disposal. To kick things up even more.
So all in all a good meal but in the pantheon of Triple D places I’ve visited, this one is at the bottom. Rick himself is worth the visit if not the food.

You can find Rick’s White Light Diner at 114 Bridge Street in Frankfort, KY.
 
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You can find then on the web, on facebook and twitter as well.
 

Well that’s all for now in the food court.
 

Davwud

NO FRENCH FRIES

“Try to serve quality food at a fair price.” That’s a belief of Carl David Weaver, Grandson of Carl Weaver the founder of Weavers Hotdogs. That philosophy has kept Weaver’s in business in the heart of London, Kentucky for almost 70 years. It makes good sense obviously as does another of his business tenets. “Find what you’re good at and stick to it.” Carl is the third generation to now run Weaver’s and you can bet he’ll one day pass the keys to a fourth generation.

The now legendary hotdog stand (restaurant) Weaver’s began it’s life in 1940 as a pool hall. Calvary man Carl Weaver had returned home from the Army and opened up shop on the main street in London. Armed with a $25 chili recipe he purchased from a man headed for Mexico, Carl’s food was as big a hit as were his pool tables. Slowly but surely tables were removed and by the 70’s eliminated all together. A renovation to go full restaurant occurred and Weaver’s hasn’t changed since. Perhaps the greatest compliment a restaurant of this type can receive is when a person tells the proprietor that the food is everything it was when they were a kid. Of course, this usually happens while they’re introducing their child or even grandchild. 

The menu is pretty simple and more or less unwavering. Chili dogs, chili buns (a local specialty), burgers, soup and a few other items. One thing they’re adamant about though, NO FRENCH FRIES.

Of course, as is the norm for an establishment like this a virtual hall of fame covers the walls. Along with the celebrity faces and local sports memorabilia one neat anomaly is the various political posters. Nothing recent either. The faces of local politicians dating back decades are forever enshrined. The small town is both the county seat and is also home to a federal court. You can’t launch a chili bun without hitting a lawyer or politician ‘round these parts.
 

The chili recipe is a closely guarded family secret. I couldn’t honestly tell you what was in it. The tight chili has such a nice blend of spices they all seem to come together to create one unique flavour.

Most things are made in the small kitchen and are fantastic. Two of my little beliefs are proved correct here too. First of all, if you see a flat top, you’re in business. Secondly, if said flat top (or any cooking station) is in the front window, it’s a lock. You’re in for some great eats.

So let’s have a look at the goodies.

We both had pimento cheese sandwiches. I think I’d have preferred mine toasted but I was given explicit instructions (by you know who) that simply on white bread, untoasted was the southern way. They don’t make this southern medley of mayonnaise, pimento and cheddar in house but that didn’t stop it from being a darn tasty sandwich.

The bacon, cheese burger was of the classic American style. You know the kind I love and this is no exception. Perfectly executed it’s a work of art.

There really is something magical about these S/E hot dog stands. Simple (or even not very good ingredients) cobbled together to produce something very special. This is right there with it. The bun, plain, the dog, nothing special, onions and the secret chili. It’s the chili that makes it work. It just pulls the whole thing together.

When in Rome right?? So when in S/E Kentucky you eat a chili bun. Exactly the same as the chili dog but sans wiener. Sort of like a linear sloppy joe it’s very tasty.

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I should add that Mrs. Sippi touted the tea as some of the best she’s ever had.

You can find Weaver’s at 131 N. Main St, London, Ky.


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You can also like them on facebook
 

I had reported that this establishment had closed it's doors. I can happily report that Carl David's nephew Judd has bought, "Spruced up" and reopened it.

Well that’s all for this time. Hope you can join me for some more great food stories in the foodcourt.

Davwud

“This is not Fast Food”

By the 1880’s railroads were ferrying people and cargo all cross the nation. In northern Kentucky rail lines linked the Cincinnati/Lexington/Louisville corridor with points beyond. The small railway known as the Georgetown, Midway, Versailles Railroad was part of this system but was eventually bypassed. The line continued to service a series of small “Bluegrass towns” along it’s tracks for several more years though. One such town was named Wallace for the family that owned the farm on which the train station would sit. Not much more than a general store in which were the depot and post office, it served the local phosphate mine for decades until the mine was depleted and closed in 1940. As the mine dried up so did Wallace. The tracks were removed the town was formally absorbed into the larger towns of Midway and Versailles. It’s now just a memory but for the old general store which has persevered through many incarnations.

When Ouita Michael of the Holly Hill Inn wanted to open a more casual sister restaurant she found the old general store in what was once Wallace to be an ideal location. Together with her sister Paige Richardson and their husbands they would open a bakery that would both serve the Inn baked goods and act as a sandwich shop on it’s own. In 2003 they founded Wallace Station on the picturesque Old Frankfort Pike. “There’s nothing like a good sandwich” I’ve always said and the people of Kentucky seem to agree. Relying mostly on business from the nearby horse farms the business has grown quickly and is now catering events at those local farms. Locals loved the little sandwich shop so much they wrote Guy Fieri and the Triple D gang who paid them a visit in the spring of 2010. (scroll down to watch the show) It was this episode that got my attention and loving sandwiches I had to pay a visit.

The restaurant is rather small and line ups are common. “This is not fast food” they tell you up front and the proper time and care is given to all the food. So you may have to wait a little bit but good things do come to those who wait. Sharing of tables is common and even encouraged as the sense of community is the general feel of this place. Farm owners and stable hands will share a table, a meal and of course, horse tales. It carries a horse racing theme with the menu board reads like a race form and the food is named after horses or race tracks. Wallace Station is also about as “In house” as you’ll get. With the exception of the hot sauce they pretty much make everything from scratch. Right down to the salad dressings, dips and even the various mustards. They source as much produce and meats as is possible locally making them “Kentucky proud.” With this dedication to detail you know everything is first rate.

So, enough with the yakkity yak.

All sandwiches come with regular, crinkle cut potato chips on the side.

I opted for the Big Brown burger. Hailed as one of his top 5 all time by Guy, it’s a cross between a burger and a Kentucky Hot Brown. A griddled patty with ham, bacon, tomato and a white cheddar mornay sauce. It was a terrific burger and may crack my top 5 but it had the unenviable task of competing with my favourite (Blimpy Burger) which I ate the day before.

Another thing conspiring against the Big Brown was how good Mrs. Sippi’s East Hampton sandwich was. Ham and melted brie on the house white with sliced apple and honey mustard. It’s then put in a sandwich press. It was fabulous. IMHO the honey mustard really set the whole sandwich off.

I got a couple cups of mustard (honey and spicy bourbon) as well as their Mediteranian dip. All were great but the dip was perfect for dipping the chips. Mayo based with feta and capers it’s terrific.

For desert we had an apricot cookie. It was very light and not overly sweet. We thought it was okay but not worth another try.

What was however worth another try is the Danger Brownie. This dense fudge brownie had chopped pecans inside and sitting proudly atop was a chocolate truffle. It’s a chocoholic’s dream.

 

If you’re ever in horse racing/bluegrass country a drive out to Wallace Station is wonderful way to spend an afternoon. The surrounding farms and scenery are stunning. You’ll find the restaurant at 3854 Old Frankfort Pike. 

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You can also find them on the web or become a facebook friend.
 

Well that’s all for now race fans. See you another time in the food court.

Davwud